Fallen and Flawed

Is the “Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints” considered a cult?

Rudy,
I think cult is a bit of a slippery word. It seems to have a variety of connotations and meanings.

Who is classified as a cult depends on who you ask, I doubt LDS people consider themselves a cult. I also think that once you get enough members you can’t be considered a cult, you become a mainstream religion e.g. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism.

Rudy: Hell yeah. [Spoken like a true mainstream Christian, right James? ]

Seriously though, LDS are the same as Mormons, so yes, cult.

Demian: indeed

If size is not the deciding factor then I think the Jews have every right to classify any brand of Christianity a cult, since it’s an offshoot of their religion and heresy in their eyes.

James, I thought about the same thing too. If there are enough members numbered in millions, then it’s considered a “religion”.

A lot of others I talked to said the same thing.

It reminds me of an episode of Babylon 5 where an spiritual alien asked Captain Sheridan for earth’s representatives. He introduced them to at least 100 people of different religious backgrounds.

[...] of the Quick Facts on Christian Cults [...]

Hello Demian,

I will admit upfront that my post really doesn’t have much to do with your article on 13 Christian Cults and Sects …. however, I did read the article on Pentecostals. And while I am put out with fact that you placed Pentecostalism on such a list, my comment is really about another article where the comments are closed. I am placing it here because I made reference in my original comment to this article.

Here is the link to the article I am commenting on:

Deviant Doctrine To Avoid: Jason Westerfield

___________

Demian, I had never heard of you or Jason until yesterday when I Googled Jason Westerfield as suggested by a friend – but then found your blog. It’s ironic that before I even clicked on any of Jason’s links, I clicked on yours. Why? Because I wanted to find out what was WRONG with the guy before I even found out for myself what the guy stood for. An admission of guilt right there in that the human nature in us wants to find out the “dirt” before the “facts”. Now, this is text, and it is very easy to misread a comment without hearing the tone of voice and reading body language, so please do not interpret that it is my opinion that you do not have the facts. It was just a comment on my own behaviour which lead me to this site instead of Jason’s.

Rather than posting right away, I decided to read your blog off and on for the past 2 days and reflect on what I have read – mostly within your own blog site and the comments from the article on Jason Westerfield. I will admit that my post is based upon reading the comments up until the beginning of November, 2009.

I have yet to research Jason any further than I had yesterday, but I just wanted to comment about my experience within your writings. I checked out your view of Pentecostals – because I am one – and then I checked out your “About” page … where I found this:

“My purpose behind this blog is simple…

To give you the tips and tools you need to live a vivid, meaningful life…

Instead of an otherwise lonely, sad, short, brutal, meaningless one.”

I will admit that I have not thoroughly researched your blog, but in the few posts I have read I feel as though you have deviated away from your original purpose. I believe my comment will resonate comments posted by several of your other readers:

Patrick stated: “Wow! Unity needs to happen in the body…And lastly the bible clearly states that one of Gods most hated sins is causing dissension amongst your brothers. So do not be quick to judge. Instead LOVE. Pray for them if you don’t agree. Loving your brother as yourself is the Godly route to go!”

I would think this would also be applicable to the command to “love your enemy as yourself” since you seem to have portrayed Jason as an “enemy” of the Christian.

Carla stated: “…if you aren’t in agreement with a fellow Christian BE VERY CAREFUL how you speak about him in public. Satan loves us to curse and bring down fellow Christians – it’s the best thing we can do to hinder Gods kingdom and bring them into the light (should they be in darkness). Should anyone have anything against a brother in Christ he should approach him (be it in person or writing) and make this known to him. Everywhere I see people speaking badly of other Christians and it dividing Gods kingdom…”

So true!

Liz48 stated: “1John 4:1 tells us to test the spirits”

Yes, but Listen to Matthew 7:1-2, 15-20, 24-27:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. … [I will leave out the speck/plank reference because so many more have used it] … “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. … “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

I will not pass judgement on Demian, Jason, or any other person who has commented in this thread. Deviant Doctrine To Avoid: Jason Westerfield But I will say this, if we take our focus off of the God who created us in his image, and place it on anyone or anything else, we will be like the foolish man building our house [or belief system] upon the sand, and when the rains [storms of life] come [and they will] it [our belief system] will surely fall.

If we do as we are instructed in Matthew 6:33

[But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you]

and we still need wisdom and discernment we can do as instructed in Matthew 7:7-8:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

In closing I wish each and everyone the blessings of Numbers 6:24-26:

“The LORD bless you
and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”